Knife Sharpening

Skrmbld · Mar 18, 2016

So I'm sitting here trying to put a sharp edge on one of my knives and was wondering what everyone uses to get that razor edge. Stone, ceramic, rods, leather strap, electric, grinder? The test of a sharp knife is that it will shave the hair on your arm and cut paper cleanly. Any tips to get it like this? What are some decent kits y'all would recommend?

I'm using a two block system from buck knives. It's gritty metal blocks in different grits.

j-mox · Mar 18, 2016

I use a sharpening rod "steel" to sharpen mine.

You just need to be slow and consistant with each stroke to maintain a decent angle each time. I make a pass on one side then flip and do the other an continue to flip each pass. When you get a good edge the run it across a leather strap, or I run it over my leather boot, to get the fine burrs off it. An on the leather its against the edge.

We use lots of knifes at work and I see guys slinging and slapping knifes across a steel 100mph like a professional chef and then can't figure out why they have a shitty cut.

85toyo · Mar 18, 2016

I've never used the kind you have. If I need to sharpen at work I'll use a ceramic rod out of a large light bulb. At home I use stones.

tnford88 · Mar 18, 2016

Re: Knife Sharpening

http://www.stropman.com/4STROKE-Leather-Strop-4STROKE.htm
I use this with black,white,green,then red compounds after setting the edge on a diamond stone. It will get your blades scary surgical sharp but requires a good steel to hold an edge like that without rolling.

jp fan · Mar 18, 2016

Great thread

Skrmbld · Mar 18, 2016

85toyo said:
I've never used the kind you have. If I need to sharpen at work I'll use a ceramic rod out of a large light bulb. At home I use stones.

Might sound a little ignorant, but the ceramic from the large light bulb method has me puzzled. :dunno:

Care to elaborate?
Also I've heard some say to go with the edge ( from large side to edge) and some say go against the edge (edge to large side). Which is correct?

85toyo · Mar 19, 2016

You use it the same way you would use the steel rod style that comes in a lot of skinning kits.

tnford88 · Mar 19, 2016

Re:

I go edge to spine when sharpening and spine to edge when stroping.

Toydawg · Mar 19, 2016

I've had good luck with the Lansky sharpening system with Arkansas stones. The key is to maintain a consistent angle on the blade, and the knife clamp solves that problem. Takes a while the first time you use it to get your blade honed to the right angle, but you can get a very sharp edge using it.

http://www.sharpeningsupplies.com/Lansky-C57.aspx?gclid=CNbgjpvXzMsCFdgWgQodo-kOmg

Elliott · Mar 19, 2016

I use a stone that is about 1 1/2"-2" thick that has a different grit on each side and has cut outs on the sides for your fingers (which is priceless), then go to a piece of tungsten from my Tig then to a leather belt.I ruined a knife when I was 13 trying to teach myself how to sharpen knives, I was almost obsessed with it at the time, and this is the best method I have come up with. I can get them razor sharp, but bad problem is once you get them that sharp you have to stay on top of them to keep them that way. It's all about the consistency, angle, and smoothness of the edge when done .

Skrmbld · Mar 19, 2016

85toyo said:
You use it the same way you would use the steel rod style that comes in a lot of skinning kits.

I guess I don't use the same type of light bulbs as you! Are they special lights like mercury vapor or something like that?

sappmann · Mar 19, 2016

top edge of a car window

85toyo · Mar 19, 2016

Skrmbld said:
I guess I don't use the same type of light bulbs as you! Are they special lights like mercury vapor or something like that?

It came out of a street light. I don't know much about them, I just find broke bulbs at work all the time.

Skrmbld · Mar 19, 2016

So my friend had a knife sharpener that I used. It had stones mounted in a V shape and you just pull the blade several times to supposedly get sharp. I used one of my favorite knives, a Spyderco Terzuola. The knife was named after legendary knife designer Bob Terzuola, who designed this knife. After a couple of pulls in the sharpener and I see a double row scratch on both sides all the way down. :wtflol:

I was so pissed. Any idea how I can get the scratches out?

Toddy · Mar 19, 2016

Ken Onion Work Sharp sharpener. Check out the videos. Can use it for a lot more too. Not sure I would foot the bill for one myself but have one at work and it is the ****.

The two stones you have in first pic are diamond.

Tig torch cups work good too.

tnford88 · Mar 19, 2016

Re: Re: Knife Sharpening

Skrmbld said:
So my friend had a knife sharpener that I used. It had stones mounted in a V shape and you just pull the blade several times to supposedly get sharp. I used one of my favorite knives, a Spyderco Terzuola. The knife was named after legendary knife designer Bob Terzuola, who designed this knife. After a couple of pulls in the sharpener and I see a double row scratch on both sides all the way down.
I was so pissed. Any idea how I can get the scratches out?

Stropping with compound will remove small scratches but will polish the blade also so it won't have that factory satin finish.

muddycreek · Mar 21, 2016

I use the bottom of a coffee cup if I'm at work

Frankenyoter · Mar 21, 2016

Another vote for Lansky or similar. I've been using mine for over 20 years. With quality steel in a blade it will achieve razor sharpness. I chose to not go to the fine stone because a slightly coarse edge will stay sharp longer

For day to day knife use, I carry a folding razor knife.

toreadorranger · Mar 21, 2016

Toddy said:
Ken Onion Work Sharp sharpener. Check out the videos. Can use it for a lot more too. Not sure I would foot the bill for one myself but have one at work and it is the ****.

The two stones you have in first pic are diamond.

Tig torch cups work good too.

I have the basic model one, that is half the price, it works good.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003IT5F14?keywords=work%20sharp&qid=1458581889&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1

Dookey · Mar 21, 2016

Toddy said:
Ken Onion Work Sharp sharpener. Check out the videos. Can use it for a lot more too. Not sure I would foot the bill for one myself but have one at work and it is the ****.

I use the Ken Onion V. 2 and love it. They have a leather band that I load up with polish to get my blades crazy sharp. You can see your reflection out of them.